Maha Vairochana, Sarvavid (Tibetan: kun rig nam par nang dze lha sum chu so dun kyil khor. English: The 37 Deity Mandala of all the Families of Great Vairochana): the central deity of the Sarvadurgati Parishodhana Tantra of the Yoga Classification.

Sanskrit: Vairochana Tibetan: Nam par nang dze

At the center of the mandala is Maha Vairochana, peaceful in appearance, white in colour, with four faces and two hands placed in the mudra of meditation. Adorned with gold, jewels and silks, he is seated in vajra posture above a lotus, surrounded by a nimbus of yellow light. At the four main directions are the buddhas pink King of Purification in the east (below), blue Precious Supreme Conqueror in the south (left), red Powerful One of the Shakya Race in the west (above), and green Blossoming Great Flower in the north (right). At the intermediate directions are the four buddha consorts, Locana, Mamaki, Pandara and Tara. All have one face and two hands, jewels and silks. Surrounding those are the 16 Vajras starting with Vajrasattva, Vajraraja, Vajraraga, etc., each with one face and two hands. At the four intermediate directions are the 8 female offering goddesses in sets of two.

Surrounding the inner sanctuary of the palace is a square enclosure composed of five coloured walls with 'T' shaped structures representing the doors. The roof is adorned with vases and victory banners. The 4 female Door Guardians sit at the entrances, Vajrankushi, Vajrapashi, Vajrasphota and Vajraghanta. Seated in the outer enclosure of the palace are 44 figures, the 16 bodhisattvas, 16 sravakas and 12 pratyekabuddhas. Surrounding that is another set of 5 walls and 'T' shaped doors topped with 4 steps, two deer a Dharma wheel and canopy. A wrathful deity with 3 faces and six hands accompanied by 3 wrathful figures guards each of the entranceways.

The tips of a giant double vajra extend out from each of the outer doors representing a vajra ground supporting the entire palace structure. Various figures sit in the courtyard on a green park like expanse. Surrounding that is a ring of 128 guardian and worldly deities. An inner ring of vajras and an outer ring of gold surround the entire mandala.

'Faultless wisdom of the dharmadhatu, Bhagavan Vairochana with the mudra of meditative stabilization; to the All Knowing Bhagavan, I bow.' (Sakya liturgical verse).

At the top center is the buddha Shakyamuni-Vairochana with Vajrapani at the immediate left side and King Indrabhuti at the right. Again at the left is a small figure of Vajradhara and at the right mahasiddha Virupa. Lineage teachers are seated at both sides and Sakya lineage lamas such as Sachen, Mal Lotsawa, Loppon and Jetsun, seated slightly below, (with name inscriptions).

At the bottom left and right are 12 lamas wearing monastic robes and some crowned with red pandita hats. At the bottom center is the wrathful Bhutadamara Vajrapani, blue, with one face and four hands. At the left side is Panjarnata Mahakala. At the right side is Shri Devi and Brahmarupa Mahakala, (with name inscriptions).

Maha Vairochana is the chief mandala from the set of 12 arising from the Sarvadurgati Parishodhana Tantra (Eliminating All Bad Rebirths). See the Four Great Kings and Chitta Vajrapani from the same series.

Early Lineage: Vairochana, Vajrapani, king Indrabhuti, the younger king Indrabhuti, Acharya Nagarjuna, Nagabodhi, Jnanavajra, Oddiyana Anandagarbha, Rabjor Shenyen, Padmakara Varman, the great Tibetan translator Rinchen Zangpo and the younger translator Legshe.

Jeff Watt 9-99